Teach the Children Well
by Alyx Reed
Summary: The BAU has received three back to back child victim cases. After considering a connection, the team makes a shocking discovery about the motives driving this man. In one unexpected twist after another, the UnSub and his genius accomplice successfully capture a BAU agent, forcing him to comply with his plans. Will the team rescue the missing agent in time? See ratings inside.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello there my lovelies, **

**So I am not exactly decided on how long this story will be. I do believe it is going to be of decent length because I have a number of ideas brewing! I'll just keep writing and with your help (hopefully) I will gauge where to go! **

**As for technicalities, the current team will consist of Hotch, Rossi, Morgan, Reid, Prentiss, JJ, and Garcia. This shall take place some random time after the conclusion of season 2. Later in this story, there is going to be a Reid concentration. Other members of the team will also be involved, so fret not! **

**I will post warnings at the beginning of each chapter, but I do not believe anyone uncomfortable with a T rating should read. Overall, the plot will remain an M rating. **

**Of course, I do not own any aspect of Criminal Minds or affiliated characters. **

******Reviews are always, always appreciated! I enjoy the criticism!**

* * *

_Warnings and Ratings: T – Minor language. Mainly for safety!_

"I hate war as only a soldier who has lived it can, only as one who has seen its brutality, its futility, its stupidity."  
~Dwight D. Eisenhower

Each morning at precisely 8 am in Quantico Virginia, the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Unit springs to life. The team routinely filed into the bullpen, scattering to their offices and desks appropriately. On this particular morning, each member of the team silently prayed for a paper filing day. They'd had two incredibly difficult cases back to back with each one lasting just about a week. Of course, involvement of children in each case certainly added a cherry to the top of the emotionally draining sundae. Typically, Hotch would do everything in his power to approve a day off for his team after such circumstances. Unfortunately, he had personally received a new case the team was not yet aware of.

By quarter past 8, Hotch was briskly walking out of his office and down the balcony overlooking the bullpen. "Guys, conference room," he stated plainly.

"Hotch, you've got to be kidding me," Morgan groaned, as he pinched the bridge of his nose. He could nearly taste the tension headache growing behind his eyes.

"I wish I was," Hotch added as he continued walking towards the conference room. Though he never showed it, the man was just as drained as the rest of his team. His mind continuously wondered home to Haley and Jack when any child case was presented, but three consecutive cases? The male's fatherly instincts were flooded with anxiety and adrenaline ready to explode at any moment.

"This has to be a new record," Morgan continued on, glancing to each of his team members. They all shared solemn looks of disappointment.

"It's actually just a tie from a few years back," Reid began. Morgan's incredulous glace kept his speech short. "but the uhm, victim's weren't children... so ah, yeah, it's like a new record." Reid nodded to himself before pocketing his hands and following after Hotch.

"I'll get the coffee started," JJ offered, making her way to the kitchen. She already had her phone in hand, feeling rather horrible as she sent off a quick text to cancel plans with Will once again. Clearly, she was expecting the worse considering she had not received direct information about the case.

Begrudgingly, the team assembled in the conference room, arranging themselves in the typical seating pattern. JJ returned with the coffee, placing a cup in front of each of her coworkers. Garcia was last to enter the room, surprised Hotch would be briefing the team today.

"Strauss sent this file directly to me this morning," Hotch began, eyes never once leaving the folder in his hands. The team shared an assortment of looks. If Strauss sent the file, this couldn't be good. Hotch began pulling pictures up on the projector, flashing more graphic images of two young males in front of the team. "Two bodies have been found on opposite ends of Oregon. Joshua Styles, fifteen, on the northern end and Stephen Smith, eighteen, on the southern end.

"Okay, this is getting ridiculous," Prentiss chimed in, briefly glancing away from the screen. "Three child victim cases in the same month?"

Hotch gave one affirming nod in Prentiss's direction, "Somewhat. Strauss is asking us to consider the possibility they may all be connected."

"Are we talking about a gang?" JJ asked, unsure of how to process the idea.

"Possibly," Hotch responded.

"It's almost unheard of for a gang to work separately like this. Number of kills typically establishes a hierarchy in such social settings. They'd want to brag about it as frequently as possible," Reid informed, perplexed by the thought of these three cases holding gang affiliation.

"Which is why I don't believe we've found the leader yet, if this truly is a gang setting," Hotch added, posting pictures from the previous two cases. "Different age ranges, killing tactics, yet the same preferred gender, and each male was white with light colored hair and hazel eyes..."

"But they're getting older," Rossi noticed, pointing to the screen. "The first guy Seth attacked 6 to 8 year old boys, the second guy Glen targeted 10 to 13 year old boys and this UnSub is looking for 15 to 18 year old boys. It's like the gang leader is building confidence."

"Maybe the leader's actual target is an older adult and the gang is staging attacks in bordering states to make this look slightly less suspicious," Reid offered, gaining nods from his neighboring team members.

Hotch snapped the file shut, "Well whatever this is, gang or not, we'll need more conclusive evidence. Wheels up in thirty. Expect a potentially longer stay than the last two. If this is a gang, we need to find him for certain. Garcia, I would like you to join us on this one. With three states to cover, we'll need all the help we can get."

"Yes, Sir," Garcia complied, hurrying off to pack up her array of technological necessities.

The team scattered from the conference room in search of go bags and paperwork.

Morgan continued to voice his distaste for the current work load in Reid's general direction. "Man, I haven't even finished paperwork from the first case, and we're on the third already?" He shook his head while stuffing file folders and writing implements into his bag.

"Neither have I," Reid agreed, pushing an assortment of things into his go bag before slinging it over his shoulder, "I think a month of vacation is in order after this one."

The darker agent flashed Reid one of his characteristic smiles, "That sounds about right, Pretty Boy. Let's get going."

* * *

On the jet, the team spent additional time considering the case. It was a lengthy flight back out to western coast, allowing them plenty of time to go over the details of their plans.

Hotch eventually assigned each team member a task as he scribbled away on a small pad. "This is going to be a tough one, guys. We have three states to cover. Morgan, and Prentiss," he addressed, gaining nods from the team members. "I want you to begin in Washington to Speak with Seth. We will then have you sent south to California to speak with Glen. Try to get confessions of gang affiliation out of these inmates or perhaps the names of other men involved. We need to establish what sort of hierarchy this is."

Morgan and Prentiss looked to one another with affirming nods.

Hotch continued on, "Rossi, Reid, and I will head to the crime scenes in Oregon. JJ and Garcia, we'll set you up to deal with the press and technicalities in Oregon as well." Each person absorbed the plans Hotch was describing, committing them to memory.

Hotch paused for a brief moment. He released a sigh and glanced to each of his team members with gentle eyes. When the Chief began speaking again, his voice was filled with earnest concern, "Keep constant contact every step of the way. Call as frequently as necessary." The Chief's main concern was the well being of his team members and he despised the idea of breaking them up like this. Even with local police detail. "Take some quiet time," Hotch finally decided after they had exhausted everything else.

The team dispersed at the recommendation. Reid nestled into a corner of the plane, scanning his eyes across the pages of a lengthy novel. It seemed easier for Reid to clear his mind when he was not focusing on reality.

Morgan sat in the seat across from Reid, listening inattentively to his music and staring blankly out the window. His mind wondered home to his mother and two sisters as he realized he should make time to see them after this case ended.

Prentiss, Garcia and JJ chatted lightly, trying to ease their minds of the current case.

Hotch and Rossi continued bouncing ideas off of one another. Hotch was nearly certain he would go crazy if his mind was allowed to drift away from the task at hand. Not only was he separated from his biological family, but the equally important family surrounding him was soon to be separated as well.

Eventually, Morgan removed his headphones from his ears and glanced across the table at Reid. He studied the younger male for a while, relaxed by the sound of pages turning. Morgan assumed the feeling stemmed from his mother reading him plenty of books as a child. "Hey, Kid?" He finally asked, resting his elbows on the table and lacing his fingers together. Reid continued to scan the pages rhythmically. Morgan rolled his eyes, "Earth to Pretty Boy," he called, raising his voice an octave while pulling at the corner of Reid's novel.

"Huh? Oh, sorry!" Reid cleared his throat, blushing a light pink as he closed the book and set it aside.

"What's that thing even about?" Morgan asked curiously, though immediately regretted this decision.

"Glad you asked! It's about this concept in quantum physics called the three body problem..."

Morgan tried to cut Reid off but he wasn't successful in his efforts.

Reid held up his index finger to Morgan, "No, it's really cool! I promise! Ready?"

"This oughtta be good. Let me hear it, Pretty Boy." Morgan sat back in his seat, arms crossed with a slightly amused grin.

Reid couldn't help but smile, raking a hand through his messy hair. Morgan and JJ were typically the only ones who allowed him to ramble on. "Thanks. Anyway! The equation uses this initial set of data, specifically positions of location over a given field, and both the velocities and masses of three separate bodies in any given time and determines their motion. With relation to Newton's laws of motion and gravity, of course. Historically speaking, the first three masses studied were the sun, moon and earth, helping to calculate their movements, distance, and time from one another. How cool is that!?" Reid finished with a silly grin.

Morgan's eyebrows narrowed, "Uh-huh. I see. Very interesting."

"Well, I think so," Reid added with a shrug.

Morgan finally cracked his infectious smile, "Kid, I wish I understood an eighth of the stuff that goes on in that brain of yours."

Reid blushed and shrugged once again, "Aside from my own benefit, it's mainly useless."

"It's still impressive," Morgan corrected, unable to deny the simple fact.

Reid's face darkened to a light red, "You really think so?"

Morgan nodded, "Yeah, Kid. Of course I do."

Reid drew his knees up to his chest. He relaxed back in his seat and glanced out the window of the jet. He could use the confidence boost.

Sooner than everyone would have liked, the plane landed in Oregon.

"We'll meet back up later this evening," Hotch informed once the plane came to rest.

"Be careful over there, guys," Morgan felt the need to add. He of all people was having a difficult time splitting off into three separate states. If anything happened while he was away, he wasn't sure what he would do.

"You, too," Rossi agreed with a nod.

All but Morgan and Prentiss exited the plane as the two groups departed on their assigned journeys.


	2. Chapter 2

**So I decided to post the second chapter tonight as well. Just in case anyone out there takes a liking to my idea! **

**As always, I own no part of Criminal Minds of affiliated characters. **

**Please review! **

* * *

_Warnings and Ratings: T – Minor language. Mainly for safety!_

After Garcia had three of her laptops set up in her makeshift office and JJ had already spoken with two different news channels, the girls had a few moments to speak alone.

"I wonder how they are making out," Garcia though aloud, shaking her head. "I may not be a profiler, but this is a bad one JJ, isn't it?"

JJ sighed, rubbing at her tired eyes, "I think it may be. It wouldn't be so terrible if we could all stick together. The separation is my only concern. Safety in numbers, you know?"

Garcia nodded along silently. She knew exactly what her team faced on a daily basis, but it was not often she was asked to leave the safe confines of her "lair" back at the BAU. She felt out of place and slightly distracted. Thankfully, JJ relieved much of those anxieties.

"Miss. Jareau?" A male voice interrupted from the door frame, "This has arrived for you."

"Thanks," JJ spoke as she took the envelope and tore at the backing. Inside, JJ found a letter. The more words her eyes scanned across the further her face fell.

"He knows we're here... Well, where all of us are... I think he's written us a riddle," she finally whispered, glancing up to Garcia with concern.

Garcia gasped, "You're kidding," she whispered.

"No, I wish I was. Hotch will want to know about this immediately."

"Right! I'm on it!" Garcia dialed Hotch's phone, letting him know about the letter. While she was on the phone with him, an additional murder had been found in the Oregon area.

* * *

"Hotchner," Hotch spoke into his phone. "I see. Could you read it to me? … Same age range and gender? … Understood... Okay, Garcia, let JJ know we will assemble up there this evening. We can touch base then." Hotch closed his phone, glancing between Reid and Rossi, "There's been another murder. A 20 year old male this time, and the UnSub knows we are here. He sent JJ and Garcia a riddle."

"He wants to make this interesting," Rossi concluded. Reid kept uncharacteristically quiet in his thoughts.

The three agents arrived at the first crime scene, surprised by the number of vehicles already present. He knew they would have a difficult time warding off the press, but he hadn't expected the cameras to show up just yet.

As soon as the males exited the SUV, questions began to fly about. "Agents, have you discovered anything new yet?" "Sir, are there any leads?" "How many more children have to die?" "Haven't you found this guy yet?"

Hotch's eyebrows narrowed and his face hardened. He motioned for Rossi and Reid to stay back as he made his way toward the group of cameras. "This is a closed crime scene. No questions will be entertained here. Any available information will be disclosed by SSA Jennifer Jareau at the Oregon state police department."

With that, the cameras quickly folded and the news casters scurried away to their vans.

"She's going to hate you for that," Rossi chided with a grin.

Hotch finally released a breath he hadn't realized he was holding, "I know." He almost grinned while walking to the crime scene with the other males.

Rossi scanned the contents of the file once again before stepping under the caution tape and taking in the display in front of him.

Reid's mind was set elsewhere. "Hotch, do you think I could take a look at that riddle in the mean time?"

Hotch forwarded the email to Reid's phone, watching the younger male take a seat against a rock nearby.

Rossi and Hotch began evaluating the scene, gathering as much information as possible.

Reid read the riddle to himself, "_This thing all things devours; Birds, beats, trees, flowers; Gnaws iron, bites steel; Grinds hard stones to meal; Slays king, ruins town, and beats high mountain down_."

"Huh," Reid pondered out loud, slightly perplexed by the UnSub's choice of writing.

After a while, Hotch made his way back over to Reid. "What is it?" He asked, pulling his eyes away from the crime scene to glance down at his youngest agent.

"The riddle is about time... But he wasn't trying to make it difficult... Ah, that is, for someone who understands the meaning... He's given the equation R equals t, in which some believe the variable R stands for the distance between now and the time of the Big Bang's occurrence. Which would simply equal time itself... But why make it that simple?" Reid squinted slightly as he scanned over the riddle again and again, looking for something he may have missed.

"He's relatively intelligent," Reid explained to Hotch, "But I think there's supposed to be another piece to this puzzle."

Perhaps they hadn't uncovered all of the evidence from the second crime scene in Oregon.

Just then Hotch's phone rang a second time. His eyes returned to the crime scene watched Rossi speak with a CSI agent. "What do you have, Garcia?... Okay, could you send that to me and Reid?...Great. I'll also need you to cross reference the children from the original two cases and our newest cases... There may not be much to go off of... No, that will be all. Thanks Garcia."

* * *

Back in Oregon, the chief of police delivered the file folder to coordinate with the newest murder to Garcia and JJ. JJ scooped up the manilla folder, scanning through its contents.

Garcia cringed, "JJ, they're getting worse... Somehow."

JJ nodded her agreement, glancing to the police officer who stood beside them. "Has anything else come back yet?"

The officer nodded, "Well, there is one thing. The UnSub left another note at this new crime scene. We're having trouble deciphering it."

JJ's mind quickly wandered to Reid, wondering how he and the rest of the team were making out. "We'll need to see that letter," she said, standing to leave the office with the police chief. After a few moments, she returned with a picture of the note. "Garcia, could you send this to Hotch?"

The analyst was already on the phone with the unit chief, "Sir, we have something from the latest victim. The UnSub left a second note... Yes, I've sent it to your phone... Oh, yes! And Reid's. There you are... Of course, sir... Yes... Anything else?... I'm on it!" Garcia's fingers began tapping away as she looked for everything and anything.

* * *

After nearly an hour of analyzing, Rossi and Hotch had gathered any information they would be able to. He felt as though they were close to forming a deliverable profile.

Hotch's cell rang, proving him wrong once more. "Jesus," he muttered to himself before opening the phone, "Hotchner." He waited as the voice on the other line spoke, "I see. Not a gang?... Well, we'll have to rework the profile... We're on our way to the second scene." And with that, Hotch turned to Rossi and Reid, "Prentiss and Morgan may have something. We'll need to meet back at the Oregon station."

* * *

In Washington, Prentiss and Morgan spent a decent amount of time conversing with Seth. He was relatively compliant, but only offered very basic information. The team should not be looking for a gang, but there was a hierarchy the men had been following under. Seth admitted there was one single leader, but refused to disclose his identity. He believed he needed to protect the leader, no matter the circumstances.

California proved to be nearly as useless. Prentiss and Morgan tried to crack Glen in stages. Glen was more interested in the aftermath of his "perfectly crafted plans."

Glen was less willing to offer information than any other life sentence inmate they had ever encountered, even with bargains.

Morgan finally stormed out of the interrogation room, clenching his fists by his sides, "Let Hotch know we're ready to meet up."

Prentiss decided she would allow Morgan time to blow off some steam. The male was storming off to the SUV as Prentiss dialed Hotch's phone and filled him in on the very little information they were able to gather. "Hey Hotch, yeah. The inmates didn't give us much, but they told us we shouldn't be looking for a gang... Right, they are not a gang... We're leaving the jail now and we'll meet you back in Oregon."

As Morgan began backing out of their parking space, he noticed something taped to the back window of the SUV.

"Prentiss. Keep Hotch on the phone." Morgan got out of the truck and glanced around suspiciously. The male pulled an additional envelope off the back window. "That son of a bitch," he sighed, taking the letter out of its envelope.

Prentiss shook her head, "Hotch, we have another letter from this guy... We'll be there as soon as possible."

* * *

On the car ride back up to the police station, Reid finally had the chance to look at the second note.

Upon opening it, his eyebrows immediately narrowed, "Guys, it's just a Shakespeare sonnet... number 73 to be specific." He read the sonnet out loud, "That time of year thou mayst in me behold when yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang, upon those boughs which shake against the cold, bare ruin'd choirs, where late the sweet birds sang. In me thou seest the twilight of such day as after sunset fadeth in the west, which by and by black night doth take away, death's second self, that seals up all in rest. In me thou see'st the glowing of such fire that on the ashes of his youth doth lie, as the death-bed whereon it must expire consumed with that which it was nourish'd by. This thou perceivest, which makes thy love more strong, to love that well which thou must leave ere long."

Rossi turned around to look at Reid, "Isn't that one just about death?"

"Essentially... And in the time of fall," Reid confirmed with a nod, "So he's written us a riddle about time and a sonnet about death."

Once he had finished his phone conversation, Hotch pinched the bride of his nose, "Prentiss and Morgan have a third letter."

Reid perked up at that, "This is insane."

Hotch glanced at Reid in the rear view mirror, "Have we gathered anything from the previous two?" 

Reid nodded his head, "Yeah, we have a riddle about death in the fall and a riddle about time."

"Death will come with time?" Hotch asked.

"I feel like that's too obvious," Reid decided, again reading through the two riddles. There had to be a mistake.

"Maybe not death will come with time, but the time is coming to an end and death is near? As in this fall?" Reid threw out, glancing up at the older agents.

"It's possible," Rossi added with a shrug.

Reid was getting frustrated. He'd figured out the riddle, but the situation still wasn't making any sense. "We need to get that third letter," he finally added with a sigh.

* * *

The conference room back at the Oregon station was nearly silent. Rossi, Reid and Hotch were the last three to arrive. Hotch and Rossi sat at the table, but Reid immediately made his way to the cork board, grabbing the third letter.

All eyes were on Reid as he began, "With endless time, nothing is special. With no loss or sacrifice, we can't appreciate what we have. Mitch Albom... He wrote The Time Keeper..." Reid hung the page back up beside the previous two. "This guy has some sort of obsession with time... Or the end of time anyway."

"And death," Rossi added, gaining nods of agreement from the others. "Maybe he believes he is in control of time and death. He takes the victim's lives at his own chosen time."

Hotch rested his elbows on the table, "Well if he's following suit, we should have another victim on our hands before we find the third letter."

After another two hours of debating, the team still wasn't any closer to an answer.

"We aren't getting anywhere with this," Hotch finally intercepted, glancing at his watch before rubbing his hands over his eyes, "It's nearly midnight. Everyone head over to the hotel and try to get some sleep. We'll meet back at eight unless you hear otherwise." And with that, each member of the team stood and prepared to leave for the hotel.

They all began talking among themselves, deciding who would stay in which room.

As though he hadn't heard a word of Hotch's direction, Reid continued to stare at the cork board. His mind was circling over and over, eyes scanning the three notes time and time again. How could they have anything to do with one another? What bigger picture was he missing?

Reid hadn't noticed when Morgan stepped beside him. "Hey Kid, we're rooming together tonight."

There wasn't an answer from the younger male until Morgan actually grabbed Reid's shoulder. Reid shook his head, finally looking at Morgan, "I'm sorry, what?" He asked, rubbing the palms of his hands over his eyes.

Morgan sighed, "I said, we're rooming together. Let's get outta here for a few."

Reid gave a simple nod as he silently followed the rest of the team and climbed into the SUV. The youngest agent found it difficult to keep his mind focused. If the answered were hidden in the riddles, Reid knew he was the team's best shot at figuring it out. But there were simply too many variables to account for. He wasn't sure how he was supposed to know which aspects to fully focus on.

Upon arrival at the hotel, Reid was still mutter different patterns of information to himself. He tried to recall all of the information he had about the sonnet, the quote, and the letter. Reid wasn't sure he'd thought this hard in a while.

Once they were in the room, Morgan physically took hold of Reid's shoulders, shaking him lightly. Reid finally focused on Morgan's face until his vision became blurry. He squinted his eyes and rubbed at one of his temples with a groan.

"That's what I'm talking about," Morgan chided, his point proven without further explanation. "Sleep on it, kid. This will come to you, but you can't force it. Can I get you some Advil?"

Reid shook his head slowly, eyes completely closed by now. "Just... Sleep," he slurred together.

Morgan walked Reid over to the bed and sat him down on the edge. He moved across the room to switch off the ceiling light before turning on the small bedside lamp.

Reid hardly removed his jacket and shoes off before he collapsed into the pillows. Morgan grinned down at an already snoring Reid. "_He's just like a little kid,_" the older male thought to himself as he changed into sweat pants. Morgan sighed out when he finally laid down, falling asleep quickly.


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello lovely followers,**

**This is the third chapter of my newest little story. I hope you are enjoying the story this far!**

**As always, I (sadly) do not own any part of Criminal Minds or affiliated characters.**

**Enjoy!**

**Let me know what you think! Reviews are always appreciated!**

* * *

_Warnings and Ratings: T – Minor language. Mainly for safety!_

"Where's Rossi and Hotch?" Prentiss asked, most of the team sharing the same unknowing glances.

JJ assumed her position at the coffee pot as normal, "I wonder if they've found something."

Half an hour later, Hotch and Rossi made their way into the conference room with the chief of police in tow. "CSI uncovered another piece of evidence from a previous crime scene," Hotch informed.

Reid all but jumped out of his chair, "Could I take a look?" He asked, waiting for the chief to return with the letter in a plastic bag. "Thanks," he whispered, clearing his throat before he began,

"My dearest Matthew, There are 2 very important bits of information I must relay to you.

"For a long moment, Jessie couldn't say anything. How could it be 1996? Jessie's mind felt jumbled. If it wasn't 1844, last year wasn't 1841..."

-Margaret Peterson Haddix

And secondly, 1 is 3, 3 is 5, 5 is cosmic. 8 is 5, 5 is cosmic. 2 is 3, 3 is 5, 5 is cosmic. 15 is 7, 7 is 5, 5 is cosmic. 9 is cosmic. 18 is 8, 8 is 5, 5 is cosmic. 17 is 9, 9 is cosmic. 100 is 10, 10 is 3, 3 is 5, 5 is cosmic.

You must live by these words.

-Your uncle"

Garcia was first to ask the question, "What on earth is this man doing?"

Reid hung up the fourth letter before beginning his analysis out loud, "The first is hand written. The second two are typed and the fourth was also hand written. But the first and fourth are written by different people. So there has to be more people working with this UnSub than we originally thought."

The gears in Reid's mind began to turn as he tried desperately to uncover the meaning behind the numbers. He felt much sharper after a proper night of sleep.

"So we have three themes here: time, death, and numbers, right?" Hotch asked, watching Reid nod slightly.

"I need to figure out where this quote comes from," Reid spoke before making eye contact with Garcia.

"I'm on it, sugar!" Garcia exclaimed, making her way back to her makeshift computer lair.

"A quote Reid doesn't have memorized?" Morgan joked, effectively lifting the mood just a bit in the small conference room.

Eventually, the rest of the team continued discussing what they'd gathered about the UnSub thus far. They knew he was a relatively powerful leader if he was able to convince three different men to carry out these murders. He must have been relatively fit to keep up with so many children. The UnSub was certainly above average in intelligence to leave such riddles. Most importantly, each of the criminals involved felt a need to protect this man to death. Regardless of attempts made on news broadcasting stations, no information was coming into the BAU from witnesses. They were backed against a wall until Reid could decipher the meaning behind these riddles.

Said agent had completely blocked out the swarm of voices behind him as he began drawing on the white board. Reid desperately needed to find a correlation. The uncertainty was driving him insane.

Garcia eventually returned with a print out of the quote. "Sweetie?" She asked, resting a gentle hand on Reid's shoulder. She hadn't wanted to startle him out of his thought. When Reid recognized the contact, he turned to Garcia with questioning eyes.

Garcia handed him the printout, "The quote is written incorrectly in the letter left by the UnSub," she explained in a soft voice.

Reid looked completely perplexed, "Why would he do that? He's too intelligent for-" The male's eyes widened. "It's another riddle..." He quickly grabbed another piece of paper, writing down the incorrect quote. He pulled out the wrong numbers, listing them side by side on the sheet. Garcia sighed, patting Reid's back before joining the rest of the team back at the table. She was getting a taste of just how stressful these situations could be.

The team fell silent as they watched their youngest agent work his magic.

Reid went back and circled all of the numbers in the letter and put them together. "2, 4, 4, and 1."

The male spun on his heels, looking for different colored markers. He quickly sprawled out different number patters on the board, "Five is cosmic, five is cosmic..." he muttered under his breath, "Dammit..." After a few additional moments of thinking, Reid gasped in understanding. "Four! Four is cosmic. Four letters in five, five letters in three..." He continued frantically writing letters and numbers in their appropriate places. "I've got it! 2, 4, 4, 1, and another 4." Reid chewed on his bottom lip, arranging and rearranging the numbers in his mind. "But why?" He asked himself aloud.

After another read through of the letter, Reid was able to answer his own question. "Matthew... Matthew's not his nephew, Matthew as in the biblical figure!" Reid tore assorted pages off of the cork board before sprawling them across the table in front of his team. Everyone leaned forward to get a better look. "He's referencing Matthew, chapter twenty four versus four through fourteen! Jesus said, 'watch out for doomsday deceivers. Many leaders are going to show up with forged identities, claiming, 'I am Christ, the Messiah.' And then it goes on to say nation will fight nation and ruler fight ruler over and over... Famines, earthquakes, they will throw you to the wolves, everyone at each other's throat, hate..." Reid continued to ramble on and on about the passage as though his words were completely obvious.

"Reid!" Morgan finally called, gaining the young genius's attention, "What the Hell does it mean?"

Reid blushed slightly, "Oh... Uhm, right. Essentially, he's preparing for doomsday. Which is when all of these things will happen. Based on the other letter, he thinks doomsday is coming this fall."

"So why does he need a gang?" JJ asked, causing Reid to shake his head.

"JJ, he's not organizing a gang, he's organizing an _army_."

Clarity spread across the agents' eyes.

"An a-army?! Of children?!" Garcia asked, completely outraged by the idea.

"It seems so," Reid exhaled, short of breath from his ranting and raving. He felt accomplished nonetheless.

Hotch and Rossi shared a look of agreement. "That makes perfect sense," Rossi began, "He needs an army of sin free children for this dooms day he is preparing for. Whether they be sacrifices on the day, or strength against Hell and demons. Perhaps he is looking for the most fit, intelligent children of them all. These other men don't want to rat on him because they believe they are doing God's work."

"They'll go to Hell if they help us," Hotch continued. "Good work," the Chief encouraged in Reid's direction, punctuated by a pat on the shoulder by Rossi.

Reid looked down at his hands, "Thanks," he nodded with a small smile of appreciation.

Morgan was still slightly confused. "Yeah, but..." he began, all eyes moving to the darker skinned agent, "If he's creating an army of kids, why kill any of them?"

"Maybe they weren't smart enough or strong enough to keep up," Prentiss offered, looking to Hotch for a reaction.

Hotch nodded his affirmation, "Garcia, could you cross reference the child victims with medical records. Look for reasons why they weren't ideal for this army. Could be physical or even mental if he's riding on the beliefs of demons causing mental illness."

"I'm on it, sir!" Garcia assured before disappearing back to her computers.

"So we are still looking for a leader," JJ began, "but why is he killing off these children?"

"That's the million dollar question," Reid finally chimed in, spinning a pen between his fingers. His mind was still lost within the confines of the riddles he'd been presented with.

"We'll have to see what Garcia comes up with," Hotch prompted.

Moments later, the technical analyst appeared back in the conference room, laptop in hand. "Okay, so it turns out our victims had a whole shlew of issues. Some medical, but many of them had criminal records. Especially the older ones. Everything from petty crimes to theft and assault."

"Garcia have you checked the backgrounds of the other missing children in the tri-state area?" Hotch asked.

"I have, sir. Most of them were completely clean. Only a few minor things here and there," Garcia assured, looking to Hotch for approval.

"That tells us something. If this guy has religious motivation, the kids with criminal records have sinned in some way," Hotch concluded, nodding his approval to Garcia.

Prentiss shook her head, "But what about those little kids? Garcia, did the youngest victims have any form of record?"

Garcia shook her head, "Nothing that I could find. The youngest with a record was ten."

The agents began to talk among themselves. "That doesn't explain the six and seven year old victims." "Right, how could they have sinned?" "They were healthy, good children."

Reid didn't join in the group conversation. He had another idea. The male made his way back over to the board, looking at the outline. "Numbers..." He muttered to himself. "He likes numbers... And time."

The youngest agent began circling times associated with the four newest murders. "Two in the afternoon... eight in the evening, one in the afternoon... and then nine in the morning."

After a while, the rest of the team stopped talking to watch Reid. He hadn't noticed the silence until he spun around and was greeted by seven sets of eyes. "Baptism. They youngest victims probably weren't baptized. That's the first and foremost important thing a young child is supposed to do. They haven't been cleansed of their sins yet without baptism."

"How have you gathered that, Kid?" Morgan pressed.

Reid circled the numbers in red marker, "Going off of the last four cases we have discovered, the first murder was at two in the afternoon. The second was at eight in the evening. That's twenty-eight. The next murder was at one in the afternoon and the fourth murder occurred at nine in the morning. That's nineteen. If he's keeping the same pattern as we found in his letters, we've got, 'Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.' To disobey would essentially be to sin."

There were simply too many numbers to account for.

"That's perfect, Spence," JJ commented, all eyes returning to Hotch.

"I think we're ready to give the profile," Hotch determined, nodding once to the chief of police before they all stood in unison.


	4. Chapter 4

**Well hello everyone! **

**This story is receiving more views than I originally anticipated! I just want to take a minute to thank everyone out there who is reading and following along. It means a lot to me! Here is chapter four of the story! **

**I am truly looking for some opinions here, guys, so don't be afraid to say something! Let me know what you're looking forward to seeing. What do you like? Dislike? Anything! **

**I do not own any part of Criminal Minds or affiliated characters (boo!) **

* * *

_Warnings and Ratings: T – Minor language. Mainly for safety!_

In the briefing room, Garcia had her laptops set up to face the team. They connected the Washington and California state police stations so the profile could be delivered to all of the uniforms at once. While there were many UnSub's, Hotch decided the best approach was to deliver the profile as though they were just looking for the leader. If they spent their time chasing satellites up and down the seaboard, they would never locate the source of the problem.

Hotch began delivering the profile promptly. "We're looking for a white male between the ages of thirty and forty. Perhaps a bit older. This male is highly meticulous and careful with religious motivations. Because of the assorted letters and riddles, we have reason to believe he is above average intelligence. The victims are not an accident. At this time, we are unable to determine just how many children and or adults he is holding captive. We believe the number to be relatively high as he is sacrificing many of them for flaws which could easily be improved upon."

"He's physically fit and able to keep up with a large group of children. Further, he has a list of subordinates who work for him," Rossi included, glancing among the uniforms who scribbled notes.

Hotch nodded before Morgan continued, "Look for anyone in a leadership position who is responsible for many. He may have been a pastor at a church or even a figure of authority higher than that. Perhaps the multiple subordinates have worked under the leader previously. These subordinates are afraid of him and likely afraid of the wrath they may feel from God for disobeying. Nonetheless, they will protect him until death."

JJ noted, "The press will need to be dealt with very, very carefully. We do not need the western seaboard under mass hysteria. This man has been in close contact with the public and many, many people. But it is likely they all fit in seamlessly."

"The UnSub has likely perfected the art of any stereotypical, antisocial person. He seems inviting, friendly, intelligent, and informative. People look up to this man which has only further fueled his drive for absolutely power. But when these people lease expect it, they are conned and left in a vulnerable position. Just where the UnSub wants them to be," Prentiss added.

"He also has an obsession with numbers, time, and death. He may carry out certain rituals other than the killing of these children to relieve the feelings he has about these obsessions," Reid disclosed before pocketing his hands and leaning against a nearby desk.

Rossi finished up with, "He will be highly dangerous and will not go down without a fight. He truly believes he is doing work for God. Specifically the work of Matthew."

"Keep in close contact," Hotch added, "That is all."

Each of the officers looked to one another before assembling their plans quietly.

Hotch gave one nod in the direction of the conference room before his team followed him back inside.

"Hotch, where do we go from here?" Morgan asked, causing all eyes to pause on the Chief.

"We need to get out there and find people to question. Oregon is the central location, so we will begin here and assume the leader is nearby. Garcia, I'm going to need you to compile a list of churches in the state of Oregon with addresses and telephone numbers. Someone knows this guy. In fact, many people know this guy."

"Certainly, Sir." Garcia's fingers were tapping away at lightening speed.

The team remained silent as they waited for the results.

A few moment's later, Garcia's list was complete. "Sir, there are so many here. Can I narrow this down somehow?"

Hotch sighed, stroking his chin in contemplation, "Let's start with the biggest, most active. With youth groups and children and adolescent programs. Sunday school, church trips, you name it."

Garcia nodded her head as she typed in the parameters Hotch had instructed, "I've got a list of ten which are... sent to your emails. Go get 'em, crime fighters."

"Thanks, Garcia. We'll split up to cover more ground. JJ, join Morgan and Prentiss with the first five listed. Dave, Reid, and I will head over to the last five on the list. Let's get this done as quickly as possible."

The team dispersed once again and filed into separate SUV's.

* * *

The questioning process was tedious for both parties. Each member of the team was itching to finally solve this case. It had been dragging on for far too long with such a void of information. Hotch decided after each interview the team would have a conference call and discuss the information gathered.

After the first two interviews, a few select questions had been answered. The church leaders insisted they did not know of any suspicious behavior within the clergy of the church. The Bishop's name was Aaron Johnson and, according to the priests, he was a great man who organized his congregations well. The men they spoke with also did not know of any other leaders who may have anything to do with a child army.

While slightly frustrated, Hotch wasn't about to quit. He was nearly certain the answers the team needed could be found by one of these men. Hotch decided he would need to be more direct in his questioning if they were going to get information out of the last two church officials.

Hotch entered the third church with Rossi and Reid close behind. He approached an office door with the name "Father Paul" printed on the outside and knocked lightly. A moment later, the door was open and a short, heavyset man with white hair and glasses appeared in the frame.

"Can I help you men with something?" He asked with a genuine smile.

"My name is Aaron Hotchner, Chief of the Behavioral Analysis Unit with the FBI. These are Supervisory Special Agents David Rossi and Spencer Reid. We're looking for some information about the current church clergy."

The priest's smile and eyes fell to the floor, "Well, why don't we speak inside my office." He gestured a hand toward a couch and a few empty chairs before closing the door behind them.

"So the FBI. Sounds serious." Father Paul questioned.

"That's correct, Sir," Rossi answered. He and Reid had taken a seat on the couch with Hotch sitting directly adjacent from Father Paul.

Hotch opened his notepad before beginning his questioning, "Can you tell me who are in positions of clergy at this time?"

Father Paul leaned back in his chair, tapping his fingertips together, "Well, the position of Bishop belongs to Dr. Aaron Johnson. His Deacon is a woman named Sarah Roberts. There are a number of priests who work under him."

Hotch nodded as Paul's information correlated with that of the previous men they spoke to. "Do you have any reason to believe the named parties have committed any sort of crimes?"

Paul seemed caught of guard by the question. He knew this opportunity would present itself at one time or another. The elder took in a deep breath before shrugging his shoulders. "I have had my share of suspicions with how... tight knit and secretive the recent clergy has been," Father Paul paused momentarily to stroke his beard. "Bishop Johnson is a... good man... But he seems to lack empathy and understanding. He's very intelligent, nonetheless. He carries doctoral degrees in philosophy, theology, and psychology. He tries his best, but... I think he has been too young all this time for such a position. He's currently thirty-three. By law, the man in position of Bishop need be thirty-five years of age. Being the most qualified of any other candidate, Bishop Johnson was unanimously allowed into the position by the Pope at twenty-eight." His hesitations caused suspicion among the team.

"Why do you hesitate?" Rossi inquired.

Father Paul glanced to Rossi and Reid. A hint of conflicting emotions settled into the man's features, "Well, some of us have been concerned for a bit of time now. The Bishop has been spending a great deal of effort - and money. Certainly money - on this 'project' of his." The elder used his fingertips as quotes to enunciate 'project.'

"What sort of project?" Reid pressed.

"See, that is precisely the problem," Father Paul began, "We hardly understand what he is working on. The priests have been asked to identify the most intelligent, dedicated, active members of our congregations. The selected individuals are sent to this rural area at the base of the Cascade Range once a year in September. Supposedly, these individuals devote themselves to God for an entire month... Hiking, swimming, and the like. When they return, they've all been... different. They seem more devoted to their biblical studies, but there is something else. They almost seem... brainwashed. I can't explain it. I've never again sent away members of my congregation. It doesn't seem healthy. But more suspicious is the fact that none of the members who return will ever speak of their trip. He has sworn them to secrecy."

Hotch was scribbling furiously, yet Reid had committed every word to memory. This was the lead they had been looking for.

"September?" Reid questioned, "Does Bishop Johnson have a group with him now?"

Father Paul nodded his agreement with Reid's statement, "They left three weeks ago. According to Bishop Johnson, this is a special session which will extended based on success of participation. I will not know how long exactly for a few more weeks."

"_Three weeks,"_ each agent silently thought. The team was presented with the first case around the same time as the group left for the retreat.

Hotch nodded his understanding, "Are there any members of the retreat who have consistently taken this trip every year?"

Father Paul thought for a few moments, "Well, Deacon Roberts is always in attendance. Being his assistant, I would expect nothing less. Two of the priests, Father Jason Pomfret and Father Noah Myers have attended... As for congregational, I would need to make some phone calls to identify names."

"If you could do that, Father, we would greatly appreciate it," Rossi asked politely.

Father Paul nodded, "I would be happy to, gentlemen. Just a moment." He left the office then, leaving the team time to converse.

"This has to be our guy," Reid whispered, voicing Hotch and Rossi's thoughts for them.

Rossi and Hotch nodded in agreement, "I'll notify the rest of the team." Hotch dialed the Oregon police station and waited for Garcia to answer. He spoke in a low voice after the whole team was connected, "We have a lead. Garcia, I need you to gather everything you can on a Bishop Aaron Johnson. Morgan, the three of you should finish your interviews. See if you can find any additional information on this guy. It seems pretty conclusive. Keep in touch." Hotch snapped the phone shut and turned back to his team.

"It would make sense if he is our guy," Rossi pointed out, "Three doctoral degrees, position of authority, persuasive, and deceiving. Father Paul is suspicious and still assures us Bishop Johnson is a good man."

Many questions were now answered. Hotch felt confident in the direction the team was moving in.

Finally, Father Paul entered the office and handed Hotch a sheet of paper. "One of the priests had a roster from the past number of years faxed over. You'll be able to note consistencies in attendance."

Hotch finally stood, shaking the man's hand before him. "Father Paul, you've been a great help. Thank you for your time."

Father Paul nodded with a smile, "Always a pleasure to help. I hope you will find what you are looking for."

* * *

The three men exited the church and settled into the SUV. Hotch turned out of the parking lot before making another phone call to Garcia. The rest of the team had already reported back to the Oregon station.

"Sir, I'm in the process of digging into the deep depths of Dr. Johnson's life. It appears he had a bit of a troubled childhood. He lost his mother when he was ten and was left with his crazy religious priest of a father. I mean like super, duper religious. Johnson had a bit of a juvenile record. He was caught in possession of illegal substances and his father sent him to a mega religious correction camp for... Oh, every summer for a few years, wow... Anyway, it seems Dr. Johnson is a bit of a smartypants himself. He graduated high school at fourteen and began work on his three doctoral degrees. Five years ago, his father was deemed mentally unstable, and... Oh, icing on the creepy cake, Mr. Johnson passed away earlier this month."

"There's our stressor," Rossi pointed out.

"Good work, Garcia. Morgan, did the three of you hear anything new from your interviews?"

Morgan shook his head, "No, Hotch. Most of the priests defended him. Those who didn't admitted he is a bit eccentric for his role in the clergy. Nobody seemed deeply concerned, but we did find a consistent confirmation of character traits. This guy is classically antisocial. He regrets nothing."

"Great work, guys. Rossi, Reid and I are heading there now. I think we're just about finished for the night."

In the mean time, Reid had been analyzing the roster provided by Father Paul. He was able to identify a few assorted individuals who had been on every trip. "Hotch, there are two women and three men who are part of the clergy and take the yearly retreat. We potentially have nearly a dozen men working for this guy."

* * *

Back at the Oregon police station, the team gathered around the table in the conference room once more. Everyone looked as though they were in need of a meal, shower, and sleep. Hotch decided his team had exerted enough effort for the day, and they had truly exhausted all which needed to be completed. The team was allowed a much needed night off. After visiting a nearby restaurant for a group dinner, the team broke off in pairs and went back to their hotel rooms.

The girls ordered a bottle of wine and a few movies to clear their minds for the evening. After all, a good night lost in the confines of a great chick flick with some friend could fix anything.

Reid had brought one of his Oregon state maps with him and was triangulating the area where the retreat camp could most likely be found. Morgan had crashed into bed with his headphones on and began humming his favorite tunes.

After Rossi and Hotch had finished talking about the case, they spent time reminiscing about the days when they first worked together.

One by one, the hotel rooms belonging to the BAU team darkened as each agent found a deep, much needed sleep.


	5. Chapter 5

**And, here we have chapter five! **

**Thank you to all of my followers and those who are reading along! **

**I'm going to be evil and leave you with a bit of a hanger here! ;D But hopefully you enjoy the twist! **

**I STILL do not own any part of Criminal Minds or affiliated characters. **

* * *

_Warnings and Ratings: M – A sprinkle of language and a splash of graphic violence. _

The morning came much earlier than anyone was ready for. Even with the previous night off, each member of the team groaned in protest as they woke. The BAU team was ready to find this UnSub once and for all. The battle was becoming exhausting.

Hotch and Rossi were the first two to arrive back at the station. Hotch stepped into the office belonging to the Chief of police, "Has anything changed overnight?"

The Chief shook his head, "There weren't any new murders, but... I'm afraid this envelope has arrived for you. About an hour ago."

Hotch hesitated before taking the priority mailer from the Chief. "Thank you," he added before turning back to the conference room.

"Dave, we've got another package of some sort."

Rossi turned around at that, sipping from a mug of coffee, "I'm not surprised. It's been..." He glance at the watch on his wrist, words dripping with sarcasm, "An entire 16 hours."

Hotch pulled back the tab on the envelop, removing the sheet of bubble wrap surrounding a plastic CD case. "A DVD?" He questioned.

"I'll go find a TV," Rossi offered, leaving the room.

Hotch turned toward the door as the rest of his team filed into the conference room.

"This guy sent us a video?" Morgan asked at the sight of the disk.

"It appears so," Hotch replied.

Once Rossi had returned with the TV set, Hotch popped the DVD into the player, and sat at the table with his team. They all silently hoped the content wasn't too graphic.

One by one, a group of children dressed in all white entered the pews.

"Twenty-five," Reid nearly whispered.

From the opposite side of the lens, a group of older men and women filed onto the altar and sat in another set of pews. The team easily identified who Bishop Johnson was. He was dressed differently than the rest and immediately began to lead the congregation in prayer. The older men and women had to have been the retreat participants.

After the initial prayers were finished, Bishop Johnson began to deliver his sermon. "Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, today is a very special day!"

The excitement in Johnson's voice did not reach the faces of his congregation. The children bowed their heads to their chests, obediently remaining still and silent.

Bishop Johnson continued on, "We have finally established the perfect group of children and elders for our combat against Hell. We have a group of individuals truly dedicated to the service of our Lord. He will test us, but we are stronger, aren't we?"

"Yes, Bishop Johnson," the congregation spoke in unison.

"That's right," Johnson continued. He then made direct eye contact with the camera, "Don't forget, we have a special group of men and women coming to visit us. Very soon. They don't believe our work for the Lord is valid. We'll just have to show them how wrong they are." Johnson slammed his fist down on the altar, startling a few of the children in the congregation.

"Today, I invite these men into our house of God. They'll be sent this invitation along with directions to guide them here. We will be ready, won't we?"

Another monotone, "Yes, Bishop Johnson," emitted from the congregation before the addressed man smiled brightly.

After a series of concluding prayers, the video cut off.

Just when it seemed as though the taunting was finished, Bishop Johnson and the adult congregational members appeared on the screen once more.

"Good morning, team!" Johnson chuckled to himself. "I hope you're ready to meet my own beautiful team. We truly are excited for your visit... Here's a fun fact for you, Agent Hotchner. Did you know Aaron was Moses' older brother and keeper of God's command. He was the first high priest of the Israelites and is often remembered for carrying a staff. What a remarkable name we share, and it appears we are both leaders of a team. One who is exalted from mountain of strength." Johnson drifted off in contemplation for a moment, truly believing he would enjoy working with the unit Chief.

Hotch's face hardened further. The man crossed his arms over his chest and swallowed uncomfortably.

Johnson's voice became serious then, "I sincerely hope, Aaron, that you do not plan on a hostile visit. That may prove to be catastrophic for many, many people involved." Another smile grew on the Bishop's face as he spoke, "Remember, while I love each and every one of my children and helpers," he used a hand to motion at the adults surrounding him, "We are all dedicated enough to our Lord to sacrifice ourselves for the greater good." Each of the elders nodded their agreements. "I've sent our specific location along with this video. Perhaps your- What is it you call him? Boy genius? I've seen better- Maybe he can crack the final code. We'll be expecting you." And with that, the video finished playing.

Reid tried to shake the feeling of dread in the pit of his stomach.

"He hasn't told us where to go, what is he talking about?" Prentiss asked.

Reid wasn't convinced. "He does everything for a reason," the youngest agent reminded. Reid grabbed a pen and circled every number he could find on the mailer. He then rewrote them in the exact order he had found them in. There wasn't any address noted, and the numbers couldn't possibly match a letter combination. "Garcia!" Reid called as he figured out the message, "These are longitude and latitude coordinates! We need a map!"

The technical analyst's fingers flew across her keyboard as she furiously typed in the coordinates Reid was giving her. Finally, Garcia pulled up a corresponding map.

"Let's move!" Hotch's voice boomed.

The room sprang alive. Everyone pulled vests and assorted gear on as Hotch made his way to the Chief's office. "Sir, we've gathered coordinates to locate the house. We need to go!"

Moments later, Hotch was briefing a SWAT team while the BAU team assembled into SUV's. The vehicles took off at lightening speed with Garcia giving the drivers turn by turn directions from the police department. The enforcement finally reached the edge of a wooded area with an open fence at the end of a narrow dirt path.

"That's it to your left. Follow the drive- It's a rather long drive. About four miles- and then you will see the building," Garcia instructed.

* * *

Bishop Johnson was alerted to his visitors as soon as they had reached the driveway.

"They're here," Johnson grinned, turning to Father Pomfret and Father Myers. "How delightful!"

The congregation had trained for this day time and time again. The Bishop joined his team of adults in the basement where the children were gathered. "Everyone, our visitors have arrived. We've practiced for this day, haven't we?" A few of the children whimpered in fear. "Fret not, my beloved children, we will all reunite with the Lord one day in Heaven." The children seemed more at ease after Bishop Johnson consoled them.

One of the eldest boys approached Johnson, "I'd like to be the one. To go with you."

Bishop Johnson's smile grew, "Thank you, Timothy. I appreciate your courage. The Lord is with you now and always."

The Bishop turned back to the rest of his adult congregation, "Don't forget the task at hand. Keep your cool, and remember who we are giving ourselves to."

The elders nodded before each of them grabbed their weapon of choice. Half of the adults stayed in the basement to keep the children at bay. The second half moved to the Sanctuary, positioning themselves toward the front door.

Deacon Roberts and Timothy ran about the church, helping Bishop Johnson ready himself.

Finally, when all were set in place, Bishop Johnson smiled brightly, "It's time."

* * *

The dirt road was littered with crater sized holes and puddles large enough to be recognized as small ponds. Morgan was leading the way in the black SUV, but he was quickly becoming frustrated. "This is completely intentional," he decided, rage building from the pit of his stomach. "I swear when I see this son of a bitch I'm gonna-!"

Prentiss squeezed Morgan's forearm tightly, effectively stopping him for a moment, "It's all a part of his game. We can't give him this satisfaction. Your head needs to be clear when we get up there!" She pointed out before releasing her hold. Morgan swallowed thickly, gripping the steering wheel with far too much pressure.

After three nauseating miles of dirt road, the SUV's tires hit pavement. Morgan nearly floored the SUV for the remaining mile with Hotch hot on his tail.

As they drove, Morgan could see the outline of four bodies coming into view. "Hotch, we have people outside," he informed through his headset.

"I see them," Hotch confirmed. "We need to assess before we take action."

When the team finally reached the end of the pavement, the vehicles were thrown into gear and every agent jumped out with pistols drawn.

"Aaron Johnson, FBI," he warned. From what Hotch could see, two men were holding AR15 rifles, and Johnson was using a teenage boy as a human shield.

The team crept forward until Bishop Johnson began speaking.

"Aaron! Is that you? How nice it is to finally meet you in person. How rude of me. Allow me to properly introduce myself!" And with that, Timothy dropped to his knees, revealing a bomb suit tightly wrapped around Johnson's body. The Bishop held a release trigger in one hand with a wire trailing behind him.

Every agent took in a deep breath and held it. Who knew how this place was rigged. The house was in range to take out every agent present and there were at least 25 children held captive inside. Not even to mention the adult retreat participants.

"Hotch, that trip wire leads straight to the house," Reid whispered.

Hotch didn't speak. Johnson took up the opportunity.

"Agents, I'm feeling a bit threatened by your guns so carelessly aimed in my direction. I'm going to need you to put them away."

Hotch shook his head, "That can't happen, Mr. Johnson. Let the boy go."

The Bishop released is hold on Timothy. "Go ahead, Timothy. You're free to go!"

The boy's expression did not change and he did not step away from Bishop Johnson. He was brainwashed and fully prepared to die in the Lord's name.

"You see, Agent Hotchner, Timothy is representative of any one of my twenty-four other children. They are willing to pay the ultimate sacrifice. Now withdraw your weapons or I will have to prove to you just how serious this is."

Hotch's hold on his pistol only tightened, "You've brainwashed and manipulated these children into believing your word is that of God. You've literally instilled the fear of God with each of them. Timothy is brainwashed. He isn't even functioning as a normal boy. You need to let him go. God doesn't ask you to hurt children."

The Bishop's eyebrows narrowed and he suddenly became outraged, "You think I'm hurting them?! They've fully devoted themselves to the Lord! Their pain and suffering is not nearly comparable to that of God's only begotten son! We can only imagine such torture! Their life and death is honorable, even at such a young age!"

Hotch realized they would not be able to talk this UnSub down.

"We just want to help you, man. But we can't do that with children in danger," Morgan tried.

The Bishop wasn't having any of it. "I don't think you understand what I'm saying," he boomed before shoving Timothy flat onto his stomach and sending a bullet straight through the back of his skull.

Hotch's eyes shut for a moment as he regained his composure. Rossi was completely stunned as Morgan's blood boiled. JJ and Prentiss nearly shrieked and Reid had to physically turn his head away from the sight.

"Now agents," Johnson continued to scream, "I believe I said to Withdraw. Your. Weapons." Each word was punctuated by a stream of venom nearly visible in the air between the team and Johnson.

Finally, Hotch made the difficult decision of telling his team to do just exactly as was asked of them.


End file.
